Long before it became a sought-after product on Shalom Ooty’s shelves, Heritage embroidery was a quiet tradition practiced within the homes of the Heritage tribe, an indigenous community native to the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu. The craft is instantly recognisable: geometric patterns in vivid red and black wool, counted thread by thread onto plain white cotton, without any pattern being traced beforehand.
In 2013, this heritage technique received Geographical Indication (GI) recognition — a legal status that ties the craft to its place of origin. It means genuine Heritage embroidery can only carry that name if it is produced by hand within the Nilgiris district, protecting the community from cheaper imitations and unauthorised mass production elsewhere.
From a peace-driven mission to a growing enterprise
Sheela Powell named her venture “Shalom” — Hebrew for peace — to reflect her mission of giving disadvantaged Heritage women a path to financial independence. She began in 1992 selling everyday domestic products, and expanded into embroidery once Heritage artisans sought her out looking for a market for their hand-embroidered shawls.
That partnership has since grown considerably. Shalom Ooty now collaborates with more than 250 Heritage women, many of whom face real barriers — language, limited commercial exposure, geographic isolation — to selling independently. What started with shawls has expanded into clutches, wallets, phone covers and skirts, sold through physical retail, trade shows, and online platforms.
Why it matters
For the women involved, the income is rarely just pocket money. As Sheela Powell has put it, the earnings let Heritage women “pay for their children’s education or purchase gifts for them” — a direct, tangible link between a centuries-old embroidery tradition and the everyday choices of the families who keep it alive today.
